


I Want You To Want Me

by allyasavedtheday



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: 10 things I Hate About You - Freeform, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Movie Fusion, Derek is obviously Cat, F/M, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Stiles is obviously Patrick, switching POVs, the au everybody wanted but nobody would write basically
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-29
Updated: 2013-10-29
Packaged: 2017-12-30 19:00:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1022277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allyasavedtheday/pseuds/allyasavedtheday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laura sighs, coming to a stop in front of them, and Derek feels her eyes on him. He can almost see the cogs turning in her head before she nods decisively. “Fine. You can date…when Derek does.”</p><p>*<br/>Dating Derek is supposed to be a one-time thing. Just a sacrificed evening so Isaac can go out with Cora. Stiles should know by now his life never goes according to plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Want You To Want Me

**Author's Note:**

> 10 Things I Hate About You is one of my favourite movies of all time and when I kept seeing sterek graphics pop up with the quotes I couldn't resist ;)
> 
> I have used one or two of the lines from the movie (mostly paraphrased) here and there, no doubt you'll recognise them yourself, as well as the infamous poem, with one or two changes to the lines to suit Stiles and Derek. You don't have to have seen the movie to understand the fic but I recommend you watch it anyway!
> 
> As characters do not belong to me, nor does the basic premise :)

Stiles admires Scott’s love of love, he really does. Of course, it’s all down to Scott’s girlfriend, one Miss Allison Argent. She showed up on the second week of their sophomore year and Scott was caught – hook, line and sinker. Ever since, Scott’s believed that there’s someone out there for everyone. That no matter how abhorrent one’s personality might be, there’s still someone who’ll find it endearing.

Stiles’ outlook is…a little different. It’s not that he doesn’t believe in love per se. He just thinks the amount of people who are lucky enough to find it in high school are few and far between. So it doesn’t bother him that he hasn’t been in a serious relationship yet. He’s  _seventeen_ , real relationships are for college.

Scott and Stiles respect one another’s views and always have. Unfortunately for Stiles though, Scott’s a sucker for a love story and that usually means Stiles gets roped in whether he wants to or not.

Take Isaac, for example. He’s the new kid who hides his clever wit beneath his shyness and awkwardness. Considering Scott’s propensity for taking in lost puppies, it’s no surprise he takes Isaac under his wing while the kid’s finding his feet. But Isaac’s nice so Stiles doesn’t have a problem with it. Until Isaac’s eyes nearly fall out of his head when they land on Cora Hale.

Stiles understands the appeal, he does. He even considered going there once upon a time. She’s gorgeous and smart with a cutting sense of humour. But see, after she went a little bit off the rails when her parents died, her older sister implicated a strict no-dating policy.

Isaac slumps in his chair when Stiles informs him while they’re eating lunch in the courtyard at school.

“But I’m sure all she needs is a nice guy to make a good impression on her sister for that to change!” Scott says encouragingly – and bless his heart for his irrefutable optimism, seriously.

“Scott, it’s been two years. I don’t think that policy’s being lifted until Cora hits eighteen,” Stiles counters regretfully.

“Why don’t you be her friend then?” Scott suggests, refusing to be deterred. “I hear she needs a French tutor.”

“I could do that,” Isaac says, perking up a bit.

Stiles raises his eyebrows, “Do you even speak French?”

“No…” he admits sheepishly. “But I could learn!”

Scott nods enthusiastically and Stiles chuckles to himself. This could either be disastrous or sickeningly adorable.

“There’s one other problem though,” Stiles nods in the direction of Cora’s table where Aiden has just sat down and slung an arm over her shoulder.

“Who’s that?” Isaac asks.

“Aiden Matthews,” Scott answers.

“Also goes by, grade A douchebag,” Stiles snorts. “His twin, Ethan, is a decent guy. He’s Danny’s boyfriend. You remember Danny from Chemistry, right?”

Isaac nods faintly, watching Aiden’s blatant flirting with a frown on his face.

“Cora would never like that guy,” Scott insists.

“She doesn’t exactly seem to be discouraging him,” Stiles points out.

Scott rolls his eyes, “That’s just because she wants to piss her sister off and  _he_  is the exact way to do it.”

Allison, thankfully, shows up before Stiles can think of another counter-argument. That’s his role; he’s supposed to remind Scott of reality when his head gets lost in the clouds. It keeps disasters to a minimum. But this one feels like a losing battle no matter what he says.

Allison plants a kiss on Scott’s cheek and wedges herself in between him and Stiles. “What are we looking at?”

“Isaac’s got a crush on Cora,” Scott replies with a grin.

Allison’s eyes widen and she looks marginally impressed, “You certainly set your sights high, huh?”

“I just wanna know her,” Isaac sighs wistfully.

And yup, that’s all the romance Stiles can take for one day. “Well, while you all work on…this,” he gestures vaguely with his hand between Isaac and Cora sitting half a courtyard away. “I’m gonna go to my locker before class.”

With that, he gathers his tray and leaves the table to Scott’s peculiar smile – it’s the smile that means this isn’t the end of Stiles’ involvement in this little plan.

 _Fantastic_.

 

*

Derek’s reading the latest novel they’re studying in English and trying, in vain, to tune out Cora and Laura bickering about dating for the ten billionth time.

“Laura, this isn’t fair,” Cora whines. “I’m seventeen! I should be allowed to make my own decisions about this!”

“And what happened the last time you made your own decisions about this?” Laura questions, folding her arms and raising an eyebrow.

Cora huffs and flops down onto the couch next to Derek. “I was fifteen and devastated. I think I deserve the benefit of the doubt.”

“I promised mom and dad I’d look out for you,” Laura says determinedly.

“I’m pretty sure they didn’t mean make me wear a chastity belt until I was eighteen!”

Derek cringes and considers moving to his bedroom. If they’re about to have the sex talk he really doesn’t want to be present.

Laura sighs, coming to a stop in front of them, and Derek feels her eyes on him. He can almost  _see_  the cogs turning in her head before she nods decisively. “Fine. You can date…when Derek does.”

Derek drops his book and stares at her with a baffled expression. Cora just starts whining all over again, “ _Are you kidding me?_  I’ll be waiting until I’m seventy if that’s the case!”

The no-dating rule has never applied to Derek but he likes to pretend it does. It gets him out of any and all propositions. People don’t even ask him out anymore because they know his answer will be a firm “I can’t.” He likes it better that way. He hasn’t dated anyone since…since her. And he doesn’t intend to. He’s just fine on his own, focusing on school and his future career. It’s his senior year; he doesn’t have time for stupid dates.

However this ridiculous deal completely ruins his plans. Because if there’s one thing he knows, it’s that Cora gets what she wants and if she doesn’t, she makes life hell for whoever gets in her way.

In short, he’s fucked.

 

*

The next couple of weeks pass by fairly uneventfully for Stiles. Isaac sits with them at lunch all the time now but it’s not exactly a stretch since Allison brought along with her Jackson, Lydia, Danny and Ethan when she started dating Scott. Isaac gets the job as Cora’s tutor and from what Stiles hears it’s going swimmingly – or as well as it can when Isaac barely speaks a word of French. Scott’s delighted and is firmly convinced the two are headed for long walks on the beach.

Stiles admits, it is pretty cute to watch the way Isaac fumbles around her all bashful and the way she smiles like he’s the most goddamn charming thing she’s ever seen. So maybe the two do have a chance – though the fact that Aiden’s still circling doesn’t help much.

Unfortunately for Stiles, his relative peacefulness ends abruptly on a Wednesday morning when he’s at his locker and Scott and Isaac come rushing up to him, beaming.

“Dude! Awesome news! Cora’s allowed to date!” Scott exclaims.

Stiles grins and claps Isaac on the shoulder, “Congrats buddy.”

“There’s just one thing…” Isaac trails off.

Stiles’ smile immediately falls.

“Cora’s allowed to date on the condition that Derek does,” Scott mutters.

“What.” he says flatly because no, no, no, no, no, no this isn’t going where he thinks it’s going. It’s  _not._

“It’s a win-win Stiles! Isaac gets a date and you get a date,” Scott says with a winning smile and his trademark puppy dog eyes. Well, nope. Not this time buddy. No siree.

“Scott, there is no way,” Stiles lowers his voice when he realises he’s very close to yelling shrilly and that people are staring. “That I am dating Derek Hale,” he hisses.

“Stiles please.” Scott begs. “You know the more we got to thinking about it the more we realised he’s actually kind of perfect for you.”

At Stiles’ outraged expression, Scott hurries on. “You know, he’s sarcastic, you’re sarcastic. He doesn’t want to date anyone; you don’t want to date anyone.”

“Pretty sure that right there, is the flaw in your trajectory, Scotty,” Stiles snipes. He knows Scott means well but seriously? Derek Hale?  _Has he lost his mind?_

“One date, Stiles,” Scott says quietly. “That’s all Isaac needs. Just once chance with Cora and then you don’t have to be involved anymore.”

Scott’s pleading eyes coupled with Isaac’s actually makes Stiles feel like he’s just killed a box of kittens. “Ugh fine. But after this, you never get to ask me for anything ever again and I deserve like  _at least_  two Happy Meals.” Stiles grumbles.

“You got it, buddy,” Scott smiles.

“And hey, Isaac,” Stiles says. “This better be worth it.”

“It will be,” he promises sincerely. “Thanks Stiles.”

 

*

Getting Derek to date him, in theory, sounds pretty easy – Stiles’ looks and personality aren’t  _that_  detestable, okay? He knows that. Actually getting Derek to go on a date with him for real though? Yeah, that concept is pretty laughable. It’s not even Derek’s looks that are putting Stiles off, it’s the fact that Derek shuts down anyone trying to come on to him so fast, you’re lucky if you get the words out.

Even so, Stiles marches right up to him after lacrosse practice on Monday and decides to turn on the Stilinski charm – it worked for his dad with his mom, right? (And with  _Scott’s_  mom apparently) He hops onto the bench Derek’s standing at, rummaging through his gear bag for his water bottle, and leans in conspiratorially, “You were pretty good out there today.”

Stroking a guy’s ego is exactly the way to his heart. Especially for guys like Derek. Stiles thinks.

It takes Derek a second to realise Stiles is talking to him and when he does he simply raises his eyebrows and makes a non-committal noise.

…Okay. So this might be as difficult as Stiles had feared.

Still, he continues on, refusing to give up that easily, “Seriously! When you tackled Jackson? Just- _perfection_.”

To be fair, it really had been perfect. Stiles and Scott had laughed their asses off.

Derek frowns and kind of looks at him like he as two heads as he hefts his gear bag over his shoulder, “Thanks…”

“Stiles! I’m Stiles,” he interjects quickly. “Although Coach usually calls me Bilinski.”

“Right.” Derek nods. But it’s the type of nod you do when someone tells you something you literally couldn’t care less about. God Stiles is tanking right now. Derek hovers for a moment to make sure Stiles won’t say anything else then, satisfied, he starts walking in the direction of the locker room. “I’ll see you around, Stiles.”

At least he got a goodbye.

 

*

Isaac practically jumps on him in the parking lot, “I saw you talking to Derek after practice. Did you ask him out?”

The first thing Stiles thinks is that Isaac’s been spending too much time with Scott because Scott is the only person Stiles knows that bounces like a freaking bunny rabbit on a regular basis. The second thing Stiles thinks is that it’s gonna really suck if he can’t get this date for Isaac’s sake. “Yeah we talked for a second but you know the dude’s pretty uptight about who he dates-“

“I know,” Isaac interrupts. “But you’ll be able to win him over, right?”

Stiles hesitates before forcing smile, “I’m gonna try.”

“Great! Because there’s this party next week and I  _really_  wanna take Cora.”

Great. So now he’s  _definitely_  going to crush Isaac’s dreams if he fails. It’s time to bring out the big guns. He needs Scott’s help.

 

*

“Can’t you just like, ask him out?” Scott suggests, flopping back onto Stiles’ bed. They’re not ten anymore so they both don’t really fit, sprawled out side-by-side, but neither one is that motivated to move.

How Scott got Allison to go out with him, Stiles will never know.

“Scott, when has anyone asked Derek Hale out and gotten out alive?” Stiles questions.

“Stop exaggerating,” Scott snorts. “He’s always polite to people when he turns them down.”

“Yeah the death glare is so well-mannered when accompanied by a “no thank you”,” Stiles scoffs. He’s not lying. He’s  _seen_  Derek glare people into submission when they won’t take no for an answer.

Scott elbows him which is usually Scott-speak for “will you please take this seriously even though the situation is ridiculous.”

“Dude, I just don’t see how I’m supposed to make Derek like me without being friends first. But that takes way too much time – which is something Isaac doesn’t have.”

Scott’s quiet for a minute and Stiles knows without having to look that he’s chewing on his lip, trying to come up with a solution. “Well, you’re not trying to make Derek like you,” he says gently. “I mean, you are. But you only need him to like you enough for one date and then you can both just forget it happened.”

“Do you think maybe it’d be better if I just told him that?”

“What d’you mean?”

Stiles sits up and looks down at his best friend, “Come clean. Explain how much Isaac likes Cora and ask him to go out on a fake date so Isaac and Cora can have a chance.”

“Do you think that would work?” Scott asks curiously.

Stiles sighs in defeat and slumps backward again, “No,” he admits begrudgingly.

 

*

The next day at school, Stiles is  _determined_  to win a date with Derek.

It can’t be that hard. Scott got Allison to fall for him by offering her a pencil, for the love of god. (Though Stiles is pretty sure there were injured puppies involved too…)

Stiles has one class with Derek; English. Stiles is usually the last one to arrive since he’s the only junior in the class and the majority of the seniors are all coming from the same place. But today he makes sure he arrives early – Derek’s  _always_  the first person there.

Stiles breezes through the door and sighs in relief when he sees Derek sitting at his desk, reading over his notes in an otherwise empty classroom.

“Hey,” Stiles says cheerily.

Derek looks up from his notebook and his eyebrows knit together for a second before he says, “Stiles, right?”

“Right!” Stiles answers and then tells himself to tone down the bubbliness because he sounds like a cheerleader. “So listen, there’s this party on Saturday, I don’t know if you heard, but I thought maybe you’d wanna go. With me.”

Derek gives him that look again. Like Stiles has two heads. And then, very simply, he says, “No.”

“What? Why?” Stiles can admit he’s a little bit indignant about that. He could at least give him an explanation.

“Parties aren’t really my thing. So thanks but no thanks.”

“We don’t have to go to the party,” Stiles says quickly. “We could do something else! See a movie or something.”

“Look, I appreciate the offer but the answer’s still no,” Derek looks uncomfortable and Stiles kind of feels like a jackass because he doesn’t want to  _force_  Derek to go out with him when Stiles doesn’t even like him in the first place.

People are starting to file into the room anyway and Stiles would rather not get rejected in front of the entire class so he nods, “I got it. Don’t worry about it.” He offers Derek a gracious smile and takes his seat.

God, he seriously sucks at this.

 

*

“So Derek,” Cora starts and instantly, Derek knows he’s not going to enjoy this conversation.

He groans and tries to bury his face in his book, “I’m  _studying_ ,” he says pointedly.

Of course, Cora completely ignores him and carries on, “There’s this party on Saturday and I really want to go.”

“I’m not your guardian, ask Laura,” he grumbles. Laura was always a much better bad cop.

“But remember the rule! I can date when you do. So will you please find some poor unfortunate soul in your depressing circle of friends to take to this party so I can go?”

“Y’know, for someone who’s trying to sweet talk me into doing them a favour, you’re not doing a really good job,” Derek comments.

“ _Derek, please_.” Oh God, the whining’s beginning. Derek never survives the whining. It always wears him down.

Thankfully, Laura breezes through the room at that moment with a stack of mail. “This came in the mail for you today,” she says, dropping an envelope into Derek’s lap as she passes. “Looks important.”

Once Derek realises what it is he rips the envelope open and hastily unfolds the letter inside. He scans through the words on the page, hardly seeing them with how intensely he’s staring at them. And then finally, “ _I got in!”_

Cora looks up from where she’s sitting at the dining room table and Laura pauses in her quest to look for the TV remote, “Got in where?”

“NYU. I got in!” Derek doesn’t actually remember the last time he smiled this wide or the last time he felt the need to physically  _jump_  with joy.

“But that’s all the way on the other side of the country,” Laura frowns.

“Thus the very basis of its appeal,” he replies with a scoff.

“We’ll talk about this later.”

Finally, Derek tears his eyes away from the letter to look at his sister confusedly, “What?”

“I just don’t know if you moving away is such a good idea right now.”

“But-“

“Maybe in a year when Cora’s graduated too, we can-“

“ _Laura.”_

“ _Derek_ ,” she mimics. “We can talk about it later.”

Derek can only stare in shock as Laura excuses herself from the room. Laura’s  _always_  supported him, even when no one else would. And she knows how much he wants to get away from this town and its memories. She’s the only person in the world that knows him better than he knows himself. Why is she doing this?

“It’s because she doesn’t want you to go,” Cora answers.

He hadn’t realised he’d said that last bit out loud.

Cora gets up from her chair and moves to sit on the couch next to Derek, “If you move really far away then it’ll just be the two of us and we’ll only ever get to see you during the holidays. And if _I_  move far away for college too then she’ll be all alone. She just wants us to stick together.”

Derek hates the fact that he couldn’t figure that out for himself. Of course, Cora’s right. They’ve lost so much already, why wouldn’t Laura be afraid of losing him too?

He sighs and puts an arm around Cora’s shoulder, already regretting what he’s about to say. “I’ll go to that stupid party next week.” Because that’s easier than explaining his feelings to either Cora  _or_  Laura.

Cora’s eyes light up and she smiles impossibly wide, “You will?”

At his nod, she tackles him in a hug before springing to her feet, “Thank you so much Derek! I have to call Aiden.”

Derek smiles weakly and waves her away before collapsing back against the couch.

*

When Scott arrives over at Stiles’ house that night to apparently go over seduction tactics or something, it’s with a forlorn-looking Isaac in tow.

“What’s wrong?” Stiles asks.

“Well there’s good news and bad news,” Scott replies, taking his usual spot on the couch in Stiles’ living room. “The good news is; both Cora  _and_  Derek are going to the party on Saturday. The bad news is Cora’s going with Aiden.”

Isaac lets out a pained whine at that and buries his face in a cushion.

Stiles gives him an odd look before redirecting his attention to Scott, “Okaaay, so what do  _we_  do?”

Scott shrugs, “Well, we can still go to the party and Isaac can maybe try to impress Cora there but I guess you don’t really need to try to win Derek over anymore.”

Immediately, Stiles feels about ten thousand pounds lighter.  _Thank God._

“Okay. Isaac, dude, don’t worry,” Stiles says lightly, patting Isaac’s shoulder. “Parties are neutral territory. You can totally spend some time with her there. Even if she  _is_  going with that douchebag.”

Scott nods fervently and gives an encouraging, “Yeah!” which just makes Stiles shake his head and laugh. Scott could literally cheer anyone up with his blind optimism.

 

*

Derek hates parties. The music’s too loud – not to mention, awful – people are messy and can’t keep their hands off each other and someone  _always_  throws up. This pathetic excuse for “fun” is no exception. He loses Cora in the first five minutes and every time he sees her she blatantly ignores him – something about him not fitting the cool older brother criteria or something. Honestly he’s seriously considering just hiding out at McDonalds for the next couple of hours and picking Cora up later but he doesn’t want to leave her. Just in case.

So, he grabs a can of beer from the pyramid in the living room and takes up residence leaning against the wall.

One drink couldn’t hurt right?

 

*

Derek is totally wasted.

It’s the first thing Stiles notices when he steps outside for some air. Scott’s off with Allison somewhere and the last time he saw Isaac he was vying for Cora’s attention while sending Aiden death glares so Stiles is taking a brief moment to get away from the madness inside.

He finds Derek sitting on the grass, staring into his beer can like he can’t understand why there’s nothing coming out of it.

“Derek?” he calls cautiously.

Derek startles and looks up at him with a pitiful expression, “My beer’s gone.”

“I can see that,” Stiles nods. “You doin’ okay?”

Derek gives him a bright smile and nods. It reminds Stiles of Scott when he’s drunk. “Yeah, jus’ waitin’ fir Cora.”

Stiles assesses the situation. Derek’s in no state to be looking after his sister and Isaac could probably make sure she gets home okay anyway. Also, Stiles feels a little guilty about the whole trying to get Derek to date him thing so he figures taking care of the guy while he’s wasted absolves him.

“Come on, buddy. Why don’t we take a walk?” He holds a hand out to him and Derek peers at it with narrowed eyes before taking a proper look at Stiles’ face.

“You’re…you’re Stiles?”

Stiles tries not smile but Derek just looks so unassuming and dare he say it; cute. Still, Stiles nods and says, “That’s me!”

Derek seems to accept that he’s telling the truth and takes his hand. Stiles heaves him up into a standing position, making Derek stumble a little – and Jesus he’s heavy.

Stiles slings one of Derek’s arms over his shoulder and secures his own arm around Derek’s waist, directing them toward the swing set. He deposits Derek on one of the seats, only letting go when Derek’s hands are firmly holding onto the ropes. Stiles carefully plants himself on the other swing and watches Derek sway for a while.

After a minute or so, Derek begins to sag.

“Derek?” Stiles asks, trying to get his attention.

…And then Derek’s toppling forward and Stiles is throwing himself in front of him before he can. Derek’s nose crashes into Stiles’ shoulder and it seems to rouse him, but his eyes are unfocused.

“Hey Derek. Hey, look at me.” Stiles cups Derek’s face, trying to get him to meet his eyes.

Derek looks confused for a minute but eventually his gaze settles on Stiles. “Hey,” Derek says, an awed smile appearing on his face. “Your eyes have a little gold in them.”

Stiles huffs a laugh and tries to get Derek to stand up again, “Okay. Come on. It’s home time.”

Stiles sends a text to both Scott _a _nd__  Isaac – he tells Scott where he’s going and tells Isaac to make sure Cora gets home okay – before he helps Derek over to his Camaro.

“Derek, I need you to give me your keys.” Stiles is all for taking care of the guy but he is  _not_  groping him to find his car keys.

Derek hands them to him, looking unsure. “’M not suppos’t get in the car with strangers,” he mumbles but he gets in the car anyway when Stiles unlocks it and starts fumbling with his belt buckle.

Stiles takes pity on him and slip the buckle into the clasp for him, “I’m not a stranger. I’m Stiles, remember?”

Derek nods faintly and leans his head against the window, seemingly content not to fight him on it anymore. The car ride is silent after that and Stiles thanks his lucky stars he remembers where the Hales live. (After the accident, his dad helped Laura find the house and he used to go over there a lot on his breaks from work at the beginning when they were finding their feet)

They’re almost there when Stiles spots a book in Derek’s hand out of the corner of his eye. “Whatcha got there?”

“S’my book,” Derek replies. “My favourite book.” He sounds so earnest about it, Stiles has to smile.

“And where’ve you been hiding that?”

“My pocket,” Derek answers like it’s obvious. Only Derek Hale would bring a book to a party.

Stiles pulls up at the Hale house and looks over at Derek to see him studying the cover intensely. “I should do this,” he mutters, more to himself than Stiles.

“What?”

Derek looks up like he didn’t realise he said that out loud before nodding to his book. “This. Write books.”

“Well, are you any good at it?” Stiles asks. He doesn’t know why he’s humouring Derek. And he especially doesn’t know why he doesn’t really want Derek to go yet.

“I don’t know yet,” Derek admits. “But I think I could be.”

Stiles smiles softly, “Then I think you should do it.”

Derek looks at him with an inscrutable expression before his eyes begin to drift shut and he starts leaning forward. And oh no. No. Stiles can think of about ten million reasons why this is bad idea, not least of all because Derek’s drunk and is probably going to regret this in the morning.

So, Stiles puts a hand on his shoulder to stop him and says, “I should probably get going.”

Derek’s eyes snap open and he glares at Stiles before he clumsily snatches the keys out of the ignition, climbs out of the car and slams the door shut.

_Stiles sighs and bangs his head against the steering wheel._ _Nice going, genius._

 

_*_

By some cosmically unfunny coincidence, Stiles runs into Derek the next day because  _of course_  that would happen.

Stiles thought he’d be at home, nursing a hangover. How was he supposed to know Derek would be at the mall? Derek seems like the type of person who doesn’t like the mall on a  _good_  day, never mind the day after he probably spent the night puking.

And, of all places, he sees him in the quirky, little vintage shop, tucked away in a corner of the mall. Seriously?

The only reason Stiles is even there is because they sell these really awesome old mythology books that he likes to read in his downtime. Namely when he needs a distraction from how stupid his life gets sometimes. Like right now for instance.

He spots Derek standing in front of a typewriter, fingering the keys lightly and staring at it wistfully.

Part of him thinks he should just leave Derek alone but another part of him feels like he needs to fix this. Whatever “this” even is.

So he gathers up his courage and strolls over to the table Derek’s at. “Hey,” he says with a nervous smile. “I wanted to say sorry about last night-“

“Don’t,” Derek cuts him off with a fierce glare. “I was drunk and I didn’t know what I was doing.”

“I know,” Stiles answers slowly. “That’s why I stopped you.”

Derek’s face goes blank with surprise for a second before his glare returns full force. And while Stiles knows it’s supposed to be intimidating, he can’t help but laugh a little. You see a guy as vulnerable as he saw Derek last night and they’re not so terrifying anymore.

“You know, you’re not as scary as you think you are,” he says offhandedly.

“And you’re not as funny as you think you are,” Derek remarks. “Can you go now?” he asks, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

Stiles suppresses a smirk and nods, holding his hands up in surrender, “Okay, I’m going, don’t get your boxers in a bunch.”

“Don’t think for one second you had any effect on my underwear.”

Stiles can’t help it anymore; he barks out a laugh as he walks away.

Who knew Derek was funny when he was angry?

 

_*_

_“_ So let me get this straight,” Scott begins. “Derek Hale tried to kiss you? After you looked after him while he was wasted? And you pushed him away?”

Stiles groans and makes a face at Scott, “Yes! And stop looking at me like that! I realise that was probably the hottest person who’s ever going to want to kiss me.”

Scott chuckles, “That wasn’t why I was making a face. It’s just…it’s kind of ironic, dude. What with everything else-“

“Yeah, yeah, I know. My life is a romantic comedy gone wrong. Laugh it up,” he retorts sarcastically as Scott gets up from the kitchen table to raid the cupboards.

He hears Scott sigh from where his head’s stuck in the fridge. He turns around a moment later, holding a tub of cookie dough that Stiles doesn’t remember buying. After pilfering two spoons from the drawer, Scott drops into his seat across from Stiles again and offers him a spoon.

“I know it’s a bizarre situation but maybe you should just put it all behind you?” Scott suggests. “I mean, I’m pretty sure Isaac gave Cora a serious piece of his mind the other night so I don’t think he’ll be needing our help anymore.”

This piques Stiles’ interest. Every time he saw Isaac, he’d been trying to get Cora’s attention. Maybe he got sick of being a lapdog. “What happened?”

“Apparently he told her it wasn’t fair for her to lead him on if she was just gonna go out with Aiden the whole time.”

Stiles whistles lowly, “What’d she say to that?”

“I don’t know,” Scott shrugs. “He said he wanted to tell me the whole story in person.”

 

*

“She kissed me,” Isaac mumbles, ducking his head to hide his smile.

Scott drops his bag of chips and Stiles chokes on his water. “I thought you yelled at her?” Stiles sputters.

“I did,” Isaac says. “I guess it made her see me differently.” He looks downright bashful and Scott looks torn between shock and excitement.

“Well…congratulations then,” Stiles finally manages, voice hoarse.

“Yeah, seriously dude! That’s awesome. I told you she liked you,” Scott adds proudly.

“Thanks. So there’s one thing…” Isaac continues and Stiles’ eyes narrow. Oh no.

“Cora wants to go on a real date with me but in order for her to do that-“

“Derek needs to date,” Stiles finishes before slumping in his chair. “Well sorry buddy, but Derek hates my guts now so…”

“What? Why?” Isaac frowns.

Stiles refuses to tell the story again but Scott thankfully covers for him. “They fought at the party,” he explains and Stiles bumps his knee with his own under the table in silent thanks. “Derek was drunk but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t remember.”

“Say sorry then,” Isaac beseeches.

“I did already,” Stiles comments. “He’s not really the type to forgive very easily.”

“Then you have to do something so huge he  _has_  to forgive you,” Isaac declares.

Stiles scoffs, “Oh yeah? Like what?”

Isaac grins, “I have a plan.”

 

*

“I hate you so much for this,” Stiles grouses as Isaac hands him a microphone.

Stiles doesn’t even know why the hell he’s doing this. It’s certainly not because he feels like he owes it to Isaac – though it’d be nice if he and Cora could actually get their act together. Maybe it’s because he’s seen little glimpses of Derek in the last week or so and in between the scowling and blunt answers, Stiles kind of likes what he sees.

Kind of.

Not really.

He actually doesn’t care  _that_  much.

“The best way to apologise to someone is in front of everyone,” Isaac responds sagely. “It means they have to forgive you so they don’t look like a dick.”

“I’m pretty sure Derek likes being a dick.”

Isaac only grins at him. “Danny hooked this up to the speakers on the field. And he’s ready with the marching band on your signal.”

“Again, I hate you  _so much_  for this,” Stiles says with a scowl.

A giggle escapes from Scott and he immediately claps a hand over his mouth. “I’m sorry, I-“

“Oh shut up,” Stiles rolls his eyes and shoves them out from behind the bleachers. “Get to practice. I’m sure you want to see this.”

Scott doesn’t even try to hide his laugh as Isaac drags him away, only turning around to give Stiles a thumbs up.

 _Well here goes nothing_ , Stiles thinks as he flips the switch on the mic.

Climbing to the top of the bleachers without braining himself is pretty difficult but he manages. Just about.

And then he opens his mouth and begins to sing,  _“You’re just too good to be true, can’t take my eyes off of you…”_

He spots Derek straight away. It’s not hard when every player on the field has stopped and is gaping at him in varying degrees of horror and mirth. Still, Stiles ploughs on and thanks every deity there is that he doesn’t embarrass easily and that he can vaguely carry a tune.

_“At long last love has arrived, and I thank god I’m alive,_

_You’re just too good to be true, can’t take my eyes off of you…”_

After a moment’s hesitation, he nods to Danny and then the band starts up and Stiles pretty much has no choice but to keep going now.  He half-skips, half-runs across the steps and smiles to himself when he sees a laugh startle out of Derek.

_“I love you baby and if it’s quite alright_

_I need you baby to warm the lonely nights_

_I love you baby, trust in me when I say_ _”_

Finstock is yelling at him and ordering Greenberg to chase after him but Stiles keeps going – kind of hating himself but also twistedly enjoying this.

_“Oh pretty baby, don't bring me down I pray_

_Oh pretty baby, now that I've found you stay_

_And let me love you baby, let me love you”_

Once he reaches the end of the bleachers and his dignity is sufficiently  _gone,_ _he stops_ _._  Derek raises his eyebrows questioningly, fighting back a smile, and all Stiles can do is shrug and smirk back.

And then Finstock is blowing his whistle and yelling, “ _Bilinski!_ Detention. Today after school.”

 

*

Stiles is slumped forward on his desk in detention that afternoon while Finstock is lecturing about God knows what when Derek comes in. Stiles perks up a bit, sitting up in his chair, as he watches Derek smile in apology for disrupting detention.

“Uh, Coach? Can I talk to you for a second?” he asks, commanding the coach’s attention in only the way one of the star players can.

“Hale, what is it?” Finstock turns away from the group of delinquents in front of him and directs his attention to Derek.

But Derek’s not looking at coach. His eyes are really wide and he’s staring at Stiles meaningfully and Stiles honestly doesn’t know what the hell is going on.

He frowns and shakes his head at Derek to try and communicate that he has no clue what he’s trying to telepathically say to him.

Derek sighs minutely before resuming his conversation with Finstock, “Well, I just wanted to go over some plays for next week’s game. I had some ideas.”

Finstock, seemingly for the first moment in his life, is  _not_  oblivious and looks over his shoulder to see what Derek’s staring at. In those few crucial seconds, Derek mouths,  _“Out the window!”_

When Finstock turns back to him, Derek pulls him into a deep conversation about positions on the field while Stiles tiptoes out of his seat and exerts the greatest amount of self-control on the planet as he climbs out the window.

Stiles considers just running for his jeep as soon as he reaches the parking lot but he figures he should wait around for Derek to at least say thank you for bailing him out of detention.

He sees Derek strolling into the parking lot a few minutes later and jogs up to him, “Hey man, thanks for that. I could actually  _feel_  my brain cells rotting away while I listened to Coach talk.”

Derek smirks at him and nods to the Camaro Stiles didn’t even realise they’d been walking towards, “Get in.”

“Why?” Stiles asks, mystified.

Derek huffs and opens the door for him, “Because I figure, if someone is going to go to so much effort as to actually embarrass themselves in front their whole team just to get a date then I should probably give them a chance.”

Stiles stares at him, dumbfounded, “You actually wanna go out with me?”

Derek just raises his eyebrows as if to say, “you’ve got five seconds to get in the car before the offer’s revoked,” so Stiles promptly climbs in.

Scott can just drive the jeep home.

 

_*_

Derek drives them to some diner on the outskirts of town that serve the greatest milkshakes of all time.

They’re sitting across from one another in a booth and Derek is just staring at Stiles like he’s waiting for him to make the first move.

So he does. Because why not? The dude bought him a milkshake.

Stiles sucks the last remnants of his drink through his straw and watches, somewhat astonished, as Derek tracks the movement with his eyes. Interesting.

“So why’d you really take me out?” Stiles asks.

“Because of the reason I already told you,” Derek says simply.

“A pity date?  _Nice_.” Stiles smirks when Derek huffs and throws his eyes heavenward like he’s asking God what he did to deserve this.

“It’s not a pity date. I just wanted to figure out why you were trying so hard.”

He suddenly feels sick with guilt. If Derek knew the truth he’d kick Stiles’ ass. “And?” he tries to ask casually. “Figured it out yet?”

Derek narrows his eyes speculatively before shaking his head, “No. But I will.”

Stiles forces himself to smile and put some of the light-heartedness back in his tone, “Well, good luck with that.”

Stiles leans forward in his seat then and decides to ask the question he’s always been curious about. “Can I ask? Why  _don’t_  you go out with anybody?”

“My sister-“ Derek starts and Stiles snorts.

“Please. I  _know_  that rule never applied to you.”

Derek gets a challenging glint in his eye, almost – but not quite – smirking at Stiles. “And how exactly do you know that?”

“Because that rule was implemented to keep Cora in line. Not you,” Stiles scoffs. “Besides you’re eighteen, your sister can’t technically tell you what to do.”

Derek almost looks like he’s going to argue before he shakes his head and slumps back in defeat. “Fine. The rule never applied to me but I just don’t really think relationships are worth the trouble in high school.” Stiles doesn’t think that’s the whole truth but he lets it slide because he agrees.

“Hey, me too!”

Derek furrows his brow, looking completely lost. “If you don’t think relationships work in high school than why did you try so hard to get me to go out with you?”

Oh shit. Stiles isn’t prepared for this answer.

But it’s okay. He can do this. He just needs to stop thinking about Isaac and Cora and focus on the fact that he’s here with Derek who, for some ungodly reason, actually wants to spend time with him. And dare Stiles say it, he’s enjoying himself.

This isn’t a game or a favour; this is just him and Derek. Hanging out. On a date. Whatever.

Stiles leans forward on his elbows then, grinning playfully, “Why did  _you_  say yes?”

Derek’s about to retort when the bell above the door jingles and he looks up. He looks back at Stiles with a wide smile, “You up for it?”

Stiles turns around to see what he’s staring at and sees a group of teenagers with paint in their hair and streaked on their faces. Then he looks out the window and sees the paintball place across the street before turning back to Derek and grinning gleefully, “Oh it is  _on_.”

 

*

Paintball is like a weirdly playful version of lacrosse practice fused with some moves from a really bad spy movie. Derek dodges every balloon Stiles throws his way with a grace that’s just unfair. Meanwhile Stiles is well on his way to being covered in paint from head to toe.

Stiles is creeping behind a huge bale of hay with the intention of catching Derek by surprise but that doesn’t really work when it turns out Derek’s been behind him the whole time. Derek gets him right on the hair with a neon yellow balloon.

Stiles lets out an indignant squawk as he whirls on him, balloon flying out of his hand instantly. It hits Derek on the shoulder as he runs away, laughing delightedly.

It’s a surreal sound, Stiles has gotta say. Hearing Derek laugh and watching him run around so carefree. Well, it’s nice.

It’s a side to him Stiles never really expected to see – a side that he never really knew existed.

He’s quickly realising Derek is nothing like he imagined. And if Stiles is being honest, he likes this version  _much_  better.

He’s caught up to Derek now. They’re both stalking along either side of a glass panel, stifling laughs that keep bubbling up from anticipation. When they reach the end of the panel, there’s a single moment of still before they attack each other almost simultaneously.

Stiles takes advantage of being the smaller of the two and dodges out of Derek’s grasp as he tries to get away, laughing in a way that probably sounds deranged.

He barely makes it two feet before Derek’s tackling him from behind and they’re tumbling into a giant pile of hay.

They’re trapped in that perfectly awful place where they’re trying to catch their breath but laughing too hard to manage when Derek rolls off Stiles, landing beside him on his side.

Stiles is grinning at him stupidly which probably looks even weirder up close but Derek doesn’t really seem to mind. In fact he’s almost stopped laughing completely now and is staring at Stiles with a somewhat awed expression.

And in that moment, Stiles isn’t really laughing anymore either. He’s watching Derek watch him and it’s pretty mesmerising.

He’s not sure if he moves forward first or if Derek does but one minute they’re staring at each other and the next, their lips are sliding together.

If Stiles knew a word in the English language to describe the kiss he would use it. As it stands, his mind is basically just sighing dreamily and saying  _wow_. Because Derek’s gentle in a way Stiles never expected him to be and his stubble itches in the most satisfying way ever and he curls his hand in Stiles’ hair even though it’s covered in paint.

Stiles is one thousand per cent positive it’s the best kiss he’s ever had (so he doesn’t have much to compare it do – he doesn’t  _need_  to compare it. It’s incomparable, okay?)

He thinks he could probably just stay here all day, doing this but then Derek’s bursting another balloon on his head, pulling away and running for his life while Stiles scrambles up after him.

 

*

Derek drives them back to Sties’ house after they try – and fail – to remove the paint from their hair and faces. Once out of the car, Stiles takes hold of Derek’s hand and leads them to the porch steps. He lets go as they sit down and leans against the frame of the railing, turning so he can face Derek.

Derek’s frowning, looking deep in concentration, and the little wrinkle between his eyebrows is adorable.

And whoa when did that happen? Stiles thinks Derek Hale’s adorable? That’s a pretty new development. And then Stiles remembers he  _kissed_  Derek Hale and oh yeah, maybe that’s why he finds him adorable.

“Tell me something,” Derek requests, rousing Stiles out of his revelations about adorableness.

“Like what?”

“Something nobody knows,” he decides.

Stiles blows out a breath between his lips, “That’s a pretty tall order. I mean, I’m pretty sure I’ve told Scott everything there is to know about me.”

“Fine, tell me something only Scott knows,” Derek suggests.

Stiles pauses, considering which secret to dish. He’s not quite ready to talk about his mom – though he figures Derek would probably understand better than most. He ends up muttering out, “My name is Polish.”

A surprised smile appears on Derek’s face, “And? Are you actually going to  _tell_  me your name?”

“No. It’s long and complicated and  _embarrassing_  and I like Stiles better.” He doesn’t mean to act petulant but the amused face Derek makes is kind of worth it.

“What if I guess? Will you tell me then?”

Stiles scoffs, “Psh, you can try.”

Derek just smiles, a smile far too innocent for Stiles to implicitly trust.

“What about you?” Stiles asks. “You told me you wanted to write, does anyone know about that?”

Derek clears his throat awkwardly before shaking his head, “Uh no, actually. They don’t.”

Stiles pointedly ignores the weird fluttering in his stomach at knowing he’s the only one who knows that about Derek. He was  _drunk_. He didn’t mean to say it. “Well, are you ever going to let anyone read something you’ve written?”

Derek frowns and begins shaking his head, “No… Maybe…I don’t know yet.”

Stiles nods, feeling his lips quirk up a little thinking about the first time Derek told him he wanted to be a writer.

“Why are you smiling?” Derek asks quietly.

“Nothing,” Stiles shakes his head and makes an abortive gesture with his hand. “Something you said just reminded of that night at the party.”

Derek grimaces, “Ah yes. Not my finest hour.”

“I thought you were endearing,” Stiles assures, grinning when Derek looks up to meet his gaze.

“Inebriated is endearing now? Good to know.”

Stiles shoves Derek’s foot with his own and mumbles for him to shut up. Derek chuckles and grabs hold of one of Stiles’ hands, using it to reel Stiles in and slot their lips together. And it’s so easy; being like this with Derek. Easier than Stiles ever thought it could possibly be at his age. Which is why he hates the next words that come out of his mouth.

“Go to prom with me,” he mumbles against Derek’s lips.

Derek pulls away and stares at him, “No.”

“Why?” Stiles really isn’t asking for Cora and Isaac’s benefit. He’s not. He’s asking because he wants to be with Derek. He wants to do all the cheesy cliché things he used to  _hate_  with Derek but that doesn’t really matter when he thinks about how all this started.

“Because I hate things like that and you don’t need to spend an afternoon with me to figure that out.”

“It could be fun if you’re there with me,” Stiles says hopefully.

Derek brushes their noses together before pulling back just enough to shake his head properly with a regretful expression, “Sorry Stiles.”

Stiles accepts the turn-down. Honestly, it’s probably better this way. Now Stiles doesn’t have to feel guilty.

Even if he does anyway.

 

*

Derek’s writing random descriptions of things in his room when Cora knocks on his door. He usually does this when he has writer’s block or if he’s trying to see things differently, to write things with deeper meaning. They’re not really important but he still shoves his notebook under his pillow before telling Cora she can come in.

She peeks her head in the door and then slips inside, taking a seat on his desk chair.

“What’s up?” he asks her.

“I just wanted to tell you, you don’t have to go to prom for me if you don’t want to.” She smiles as if she’s giving him a huge gift – which yeah, she is – but there’s something else in her smile Derek can’t parse.

“Thanks but why?”

Cora’s smile goes all shy and if there’s one thing Derek knows about his sister, it’s that she is  _not_  shy.

“Um, Laura met Isaac today after school and she approves,” she replies, looking borderline giddy about it.  “She said I can go to prom with him and that she trusts me.”

Derek smiles. He knows that’s all Cora’s really wanted all along; for Laura to trust her again. And now that she does, well, he has a feeling things are about to run a lot smoother in the Hale residence.

“I’m happy for you,” he tells her honestly. “I knew Laura would let up eventually.”

Cora nods distractedly like she’s thinking about something else. “What’s up with you and that Stiles kid?” she asks suddenly.

“How do you know about that?” He and Stiles have been a thing for exactly five hours, he doesn’t exactly expect them to be talk of the school just yet.

“He’s friends with Isaac,” she says dismissively. “So,” she begins, a mischievous grin on her face. “What’s going on?”

Oh what the hell, he can tell her.

“I like him,” he confesses, not meeting Cora’s gaze. “I don’t know why. I couldn’t stand him at first but,” Derek shrugs, “I don’t know… he got under my skin.”

“You know I haven’t seen you like anyone since-“

“I know.” Derek answers quietly but with finality. “I’m trying not to think about that anymore.”

Cora moves from the desk chair to sit next to Derek on the bed, “I know, Der. And I’m proud of you for letting Stiles in a little – even if it is early days. You need to remember they’re not all the next Kate.”

“I know,” he responds and he does know. He’s starting to see that now – what’s more he’s starting to believe it. “And you remember that just because Laura gives her blessing doesn’t mean I’m not gonna have a brotherly chat with Isaac.”

Cora rolls her eyes and laughs, “Whatever you say, Derek.”

 

*

Derek answers the door the night of prom when Isaac arrives. He’s taller than Derek but still looks scared stiff when greeted with Derek’s stoic expression.

“Uh hey, Derek right?” he says, even though Derek  _knows_  he knows who he is.

“Yeah,” Derek answers gruffly. “Come on in.” He steps back pulling the door with him to let Isaac walk past and then he yells up the stairs for Cora to come down.

He hears giggling and squealing and then Laura’s hurrying down the stairs, “Isaac! So nice to see you again! Cora will be down in just a minute.”

Derek hears rustling at the top of the stairs and then there’s his baby sister with soft curls framing her face, wearing a white-gold dress that flows to the floor.

She looks beautiful. She looks grown up. And all he can think of is when Cora was six and Laura was thirteen and Cora was essentially a walking, talking mannequin for Laura to dress up. He looks away, telling himself to stop getting choked up about old memories and notices Isaac staring at his sister like he’s just seen an angel. Maybe he’s not so bad after all.

Laura honest-to-god looks like she has tears in her eyes as she watches Isaac slip a corsage onto Cora’s wrist and snaps pictures of them from every angle imaginable.

“Laur, you’re going to blind them,” he says gently, taking camera out of her hand. Cora laughs as she threads her fingers with Isaac’s. They’re about to head out the door when Laura flails, “Wait! Just one more thing.”

She races upstairs, appearing again not thirty seconds later with a small box in her hand. “Here,” she hands it to Cora, who opens the box carefully before her eyes widen and she gasps.

“But these are mom’s pearls,” she says confusedly.

“And I want you to wear them tonight,” Laura smiles. “She’d want you to too.”

Derek can’t help but smile, noticing the tears in Cora’s eyes as Laura takes the necklace and ties it around her neck. Cora hugs Laura tight and he hears them mumbling about being careful not to smudge Cora’s make-up.

Then Cora and Isaac are saying their goodbyes and Derek watches them go, hurrying quickly down the path to Isaac’s beat-up old car. His thoughts begin to drift to Stiles going alone while all his friends are with their boyfriends or girlfriends and he can’t help the guilty feeling that settles in the pit of his stomach. But the thing is; Stiles doesn’t have to be alone. He has someone to go with, Derek was just too caught up in what _he_  was comfortable with to think about what Stiles wanted.

He practically sprints upstairs and tears his closet apart, searching for the one suit he owns. He changes quickly, runs a brush through his hair and grabs his keys and phone. He really should look in the mirror.

When he gets back downstairs Laura’s on the couch with a bottle of wine and a tub of ice-cream, watching some movie with Ryan Gosling in it.

“Bye Laur! I’m going to prom,” he calls as he heads out the door.

Laura immediately starts snickering, “Hah! Yeah right, Derek.”

Derek swears he sees her sit up in shock through the window when he closes the door.

 

*

Stiles is skulking around the drinks table, taking sips of his punch while watching all the happy couples. Scott and Allison have their heads bent close and are whispering to each other as they dance. Lydia has her head on Jackson’s shoulder and Jackson looks so content he probably doesn’t even realise he’s smiling. Isaac’s twirling Cora even though it’s a slow song and he basically looks like he’s the luckiest guy on earth.

He’s happy for them all, he really is. But he just feels kind of…lonely. The past couple of days with Derek have been amazing – Scott’s jaw hit the floor when Stiles told him he had real feelings for Derek – but he thinks that as long as he keeps his secret from Derek, there’s going to be this distance between them.

Because Stiles is a lot of things but he’s not a liar. And Derek deserves to be told the truth. Even if the truth sounds as awful as “I was just trying to date you in the beginning so my friend could score a date with your little sister, I didn’t actually like you.”

Stiles is going to be a hell of a lot more gentle than that when he comes clean but he just wants their relationship – or whatever other label that doesn’t sound so scary – to start out with complete honesty. He needs Derek to know that the last couple of days were  _real_  and meant more to Stiles than anything else in the world. He just hopes that Derek will understand.

Stiles is just about to set down his drink and go out to the hallway to call Derek when he feels a hand slip around his waist.

“Hey,” Derek whispers in his ear.

Stiles whirls on him in shock, “What are you doing here?”

“I heard you needed a date.”

Stiles furrows his brow in confusion, “But you hate these things?”

“Yeah but I like you,” Derek answers playfully.

Stiles is so fucked. Because here’s Derek,  _in a suit_ , doing something he hates to make Stiles happy and Stiles has been lying to him the whole time. He needs to tell Derek the truth  _now._

He takes hold of Derek’s hand, ready to take him out of the hall, “Can we talk for a sec? I-“

He’s interrupted by yelling from the dance floor. He and Derek both look up at the same time to see Aiden shoving Isaac, yelling about how he stole Cora or something equally caveman-like. Judging by the way he’s stumbling, he’s been drinking.

Derek immediately runs to his sister with Stiles following suit, arriving the same time as Scott. Scott steps in front of Isaac and Stiles latches onto Aiden, pulling him back.

And right about then is when it all goes to hell. Because Aiden turns on Stiles, shoving him back, so of course Derek steps in and tells Aiden to back off.

Aiden pauses for a minute and Stiles really hopes this is then end of it. But of course, it’s not because then Aiden laughs and says, “God Hale, how stupid can you get? Stilinski’s only dating you so Lahey can fuck your sister, isn’t that right,  _Stiles?”_ He says it like a sneer and Stiles feels sick right now. _This isn’t happening._

Ethan steps in at that moment and pulls his twin away but the damage is already done.

“Derek I-“ Stiles tries to reach for him but Derek pulls away like he’s been scalded.

The look of utter betrayal on Derek’s face is enough to make Stiles’ knees buckle because Stiles can see him mentally going over every interaction they’ve had in his head. And he can see the hurt on Derek’s face as he realises it’s all been a lie.

No, he _thinks_  it’s all been a lie which is probably worse.

Derek takes one step closer to Stiles and looks him dead in the eye, “ _Don’t_  follow me.” And then he’s bolting from the hall without a backward glance.

 

*

Derek’s phone buzzes for the twentieth time since he’s gotten home so he picks it up off his bedside table and turns it off. A moment later, there’s a hesitant knock on the door and Cora’s tiptoeing inside. Her make-up’s washed off, her hair is tied up in a bun and she’s changed into her PJs. She looks like his baby sister again.

“Hi,” she says quietly. She climbs onto the bed next to Derek, sitting with her back against the headboard and stares down at her brother while he hugs a pillow to his chest. “If it makes you feel any better, I punched Aiden in the face. Twice. I think I broke his nose.”

Derek sits up instantly, taking hold of Cora’s hand and sure enough, her knuckles are cut. “Are you okay?” he asks concernedly.

“I’m fine,” she assures. “Laura high-fived me when I told her.”

Derek scoffs before flopping back down against his pillow, “Thanks Cor,” he mumbles.

She smiles at him, “Anytime, big brother.”

They sit in silence for a few minutes before Cora sighs, “He’s not a bad guy, Derek-“

“Can we just not talk about it right now please?” Derek pleads, closing his eyes.

He can’t talk about this right now. He can’t even  _think_  about it right now.

“Okay,” Cora whispers, leaning down to kiss Derek’s forehead before he hears her climb off the bed and pad out of the room.

 

*

Stiles eventually stops trying to call Derek around 1am. It’s around 1:30 when he hears his window being opened and he rolls over in his bed to see Scott climbing through. Scott takes one look at him and smiles sympathetically, “Hey buddy.”

He tips off his shoes and moves to the bed, shoving at Stiles until he pushes over. Scott wiggles around for a second until he gets comfortable and then he tries to hog the blanket – like he always does – Stiles is too miserable to stop him.

“I can’t believe I did that to him,” Stiles murmurs, voice thick with tears. “I mean did you see the look on his face?”

“Hey,” Scott says soothingly. “It’s not your fault, okay? It’s mine and Isaac’s. We should have never made you do it in the first place.”

Stiles shrugs in a sort of “what can you do” gesture.

“I’m sorry this whole thing even happened,” Scott says quietly.

“I’m not,” Stiles decides. “I hate that I hurt him and I hate that I lied but I’m not sorry I got to see Derek for who he really was. I’m not sorry I fell for him.”

Scott looks genuinely proud of him in that moment which only makes Stiles feel worse. “You’ll fix it,” Scott promises.

Stiles falls asleep holding onto that promise.

 

*

Derek’s sitting on the porch swing, writing for his English assignment and purging his feelings on the page, when Laura comes outside and takes a seat next to him.

“How’re you feeling?” she asks softly.

He shrugs and sets down his notebook. Derek’s not good with saying words out loud. He only knows how to write them down on paper. He wonders if Laura will accept that as an excuse.

“He’s not Kate,” she says quietly after a pause and Derek’s head snaps to her.

“The situation seems pretty similar,” he answers scornfully.

“Cora told me a little bit about what happened; I don’t think he wanted to hurt you. I really don’t.”

Derek only shrugs again. He won’t be able to explain how it feels like history repeating itself. At least not in a way that makes sense.

Laura looks like she’s preparing herself to something serious and Derek braces himself, “I want you to go to NYU.”

That…isn’t what Derek was expecting.

“What?” he asks dumbly.

“You deserve it and it’s what you really want. Me and Cora will be okay,” she assures – even if she does look a bit teary-eyed.

Derek smiles the first genuine smile he’s made in two days and squeezes Laura’s hand, “ _Thank you_.”

Laura nods with a smile, trying to surreptitiously wipe her eyes with her sleeve. Derek wraps an arm around his sister and she curls into his side, “You could always move to New York when Cora’s graduated.”

“We’ll figure it out,” she promises. “Don’t worry about it. You just focus on your writing.”

“How did you-“

Laura chuckles, “Derek, I’m your sister. I know everything.”

 

*

The last person Stiles expects to visit him when he’s moping is Cora Hale. It’s been a week since the prom fiasco and Derek hasn’t so much as glanced in his direction. Stiles would be angry if he didn’t think he deserved it.

Stiles steps back in surprise as he lets Cora pass him and then leads her to the living room. He decides to let her start, the last thing he wants is to provoke her and she’s well within her rights to punch him right now.

Once they’re both seated on the couch, Cora meets his gaze with trepidation before taking a deep breath and beginning. “I don’t want to tell you what I’m about to tell you because it’s Derek’s place and not mine. But I know he  _won’t_  tell you and I want you to understand why he’s reacting so strongly to all of this.”

Stiles must look as puzzled as he feels because Cora sighs and looks down, fumbling with the piece of paper in her hand. “After our parents died, Derek had a girlfriend. Her name was Kate.”

“I didn’t know that,” Stiles says slowly.

“Most people don’t,” Cora tells him. “She was older…in fact, she was his grief counsellor and Derek…he fell so hard and she-“ Cora clenches her fists, looking frustrated. “She strung him along, took advantage of how vulnerable he was and just…destroyed him.”

“What did she do?” Stiles asks quietly, almost afraid of the answer.

Cora scoffs derisively, “She basically laughed in his face when he told her he loved her and then took off without a trace.”

If it’s possible, Stiles feels even worse than before.

It was bad enough to begin with, but now? How could he have been so stupid as to do that to Derek?

“Cora, if I had  _known_ -“ he starts desperately.

“I know,” she quiets him with a small smile. “I know you were only trying to help Isaac and I, and I know your feelings were real when you and Derek actually started spending time together. That’s why I haven’t kicked you in the balls yet.”

Cora turns over the piece of paper in her hand again and Stiles’ eyes are drawn to it. “What’s that?”

Cora looks up at him and bites her lip in apprehension, “You guys have a poetry assignment in English, right?”

Stiles frowns in confusion, “Yeah we have to rewrite a sonnet, why?”

“I found this in Derek’s trash. I’m guessing it’s his first draft.” Cora tries to hand it to him, “I think you should read it.”

“Derek doesn’t like anyone reading stuff he’s written,” Stiles tries to object – even if he’s burning to snatch the paper out of her hand.

“I think this can be an exception,” Cora stands up before setting the paper on the coffee table. “Thanks for talking to me, Stiles. Please don’t give up on my brother.”

And then she’s gone.

Stiles tentatively picks up the piece of paper when he hears the front door close and unfolds it.

 _“I hate the way you talk to me,_    
  
_and the way you cut your hair._  
  
_I hate the way you drive my car,_  
  
_I hate it when you stare._  
  
_I hate your stupid flannel shirts_  
  
_and the way you read my mind._  
  
_I hate you so much it makes me sick,_  
  
_it even makes me rhyme._  
  
_I hate the way you’re always right,_  
  
_I hate it when you lie._  
  
_I hate it when you make me laugh,_  
  
_even worse when you make me cry._  
  
_I hate it when you’re not around,_  
  
_and the fact that you still call._  
  
_But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you,_  
  
_not even close…_  
  
_not even a little bit…_  
  
_not even at all.”_

Stiles folds up the piece of paper again, shoves the heel of his hand into his eye to keep away the tears that are threatening to fall, grabs his keys and leaves.

He’s going to fix it.

 

*

When the final bell rings on Monday, Derek can’t get out of school fast enough. The place seems even more insufferable now than it did before. He also hates that he feels a weird sort of disappointment. Stiles stopped trying to call him on Saturday and he wasn’t in English either. Derek tells himself he doesn’t care and that it’s better this way – even if he doesn’t fully believe himself.

He makes it to the Camaro when the parking lot’s not even half full and students are only just starting to mill out of the school. Any relief at being one step closer to going home is diminished when he sees the passenger side window down.

Derek  _never_  leaves the windows down.

Someone’s broken into his car.

He doesn’t realise it until he unlocks the door but his car isn’t empty. Sitting on his passenger seat is a typewriter. Specifically the one he’d been looking at in that store in the mall a few weeks ago when he ran into-

“Do you like it?”

Derek turns around and sees Stiles standing behind him with his hands shoved in his pockets and an anxious smile on his face.

“What are you-“

Stiles cuts him off before he can go any further. “I’m sorry. I’m  _so_  sorry, Derek. I never wanted to hurt you – not for one second. My friends just roped me into a dumb idea but then I actually started to like you and I wasn’t really helping Isaac anymore so much as I was helping myself. Because I  _wanted_  to spend time with you and talk to you and know all the things about you no one else knew.”

Derek swallows. He feels like should say something, do something but he’s rooted to the spot. Stiles hesitates for a moment before he keeps going.

“And yeah, I never believed relationships worked in high school so I never tried but you make me  _want_  to try. And I don’t really know what else to say other than I’m so fucking sorry for hurting you because that is the  _last_  thing I wanted to do and I totally understand if you never forgive me but I just needed you to know that.”

Derek stares at him for a long time. Like, a really long time. Because Stiles is quite possibly the most baffling person he’s ever met but Derek’s starting to realise he kind of likes that about him. A smile, slow and real, begins to spread across his face. “You bought me a typewriter?”

Stiles looks like he wants to laugh with relief right about now. Instead he grins coyly and shrugs his shoulder, “Yeah I figure you could use it to become a big, famous writer.”

Derek shakes his head, huffing out a laugh. He ducks his head when he sees Stiles’ eyes light up at hearing it. Derek rolls his eyes then and holds out his hand, “Get over here.”

Stiles doesn’t need any more prompting. He practically leaps into Derek’s arm, winding his arms around Derek’s neck and pulling them flush together. Derek’s lips quirk up just slightly before he ducks in and presses their lips together. He can feel the apology with each soft brush of Stiles lips against his and the way Stiles just melts against him, sighing contentedly when Derek wraps his arms around his waist. It’s almost enough to overwhelm him; Derek’s never kissed someone like this before. Like it was the most important thing in the world. Like it was all he needed to keep breathing.

Derek pulls away – more to keep his emotions in check than because he actually wants to. “You know you can’t just buy me stuff to make me forgive you-“

Stiles cuts him off, diving back in for another kiss. “Mhm whatever you say,” he mumbles against Derek’s lips.

Derek pulls back again; really just to fuck with Stiles this time, “And don’t think-“

“Derek,” Stiles huffs. “Stop talking.”

Derek laughs as Stiles leans back in, chasing Derek’s mouth with his own. He lasts all of five seconds before he’s turning them around to gently push Stiles against the car and kiss him like he means it.

Because maybe this wasn’t always real and maybe they couldn’t stand each other at first and maybe they’re both too pessimistic and stubborn for their own good but it’s real now and it’s  _right_  and that’s all Derek really needs to know.

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually one of the fics I've probably had the most fun writing so I really hope you enjoyed it :)
> 
> Feedback is always appreciated!
> 
> And if you're looking for me on tumblr, you can find me at [ allyasavedtheday](http://allyasavedtheday.tumblr.com/)


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